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A Bistro That Is A Bargain
Warm Comfort In Cold Weather
PARIS - Paris diners owe a fine debt of gratitude to
chef Jean-Pierre Vigato. Not only has he wooed us for
years with his steady, personalized form of modern cooking
at his Michelin two-star restaurant Apicius, but he
has influenced a good number of fine, young chefs.
The newest is Francis Leveque, who for the past few
months has been playing to a packed dining room at the
small bistro-style restaurant Dame Jeanne, not far from
the Bastille. Here, in a colorful, southern-inspired
decor of bold ochers and sunburst reds, scarlet linen
napkins and pristine white china, he offers a model
form of updated bistro fare at rock-bottom prices.
There's a deluge of ''bargain'' restaurants in Paris
today. But weeding out those worth trying once from
those worth adding to your permanent address book is
another matter.
Dame Jeanne's current menu offers some soothing, cold-weather
favorites, such as falling-off-the-bone braised lamb
shanks, known as souris d'agneau or haut de gigot. Or,
try the well-seasoned, original poitrine de veau, veal
breast that had been stuffed with herbs, rolled and
roasted to perfection. Served in thick slices and bathed
in an even-tempered sauce, the steaming veal was surrounded
by a pool of fine mashed potatoes.
For starters, there's a pretty as well as delicious
terrine of tender beef cheeks (they sound better in
French, as joues de boeuf) and verdant leeks. The terrine
is cut in a thick slice, drizzled with a properly vinegary
dressing, and served with a small, refreshing salad
of mesclun, fresh mixed greens. Leveque's starter risotto
- this one flavored with assorted wild mushrooms - was
distinctly French and thoroughly delicious. Rather than
the creamy, unified al dente mass of the Italian version,
this risotto was thinner, flavored with plenty of cooking
juices, and no less appealing.
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Just a Slight Downside
Alas, service in the two small dining rooms is typical
of the laid-back Bastille neighborhood. No one there
ever seems to be in a hurry. Even wine doesn't come
until your first course is on the table. And since Leveque
is alone in the kitchen, the wait can seem interminable.
When the wine does arrive, it can be delicious. By
all means sample the bargain-priced 120-franc ($20)
bottle of 1995 Beaujolais Julienas Cotes du Bessay,
from the winemaker Paul Spay, Domaine de la Cave Lamartine.
To my palate, it is an ideal rendering of a fine Beaujolais:
not overtly fruity, but fun and vigorous, and just serious
enough to inhibit you from dancing out the door.
Dame Jeanne, 60 Rue de Charonne, Paris 11; tel: 01-47-00-37-40;
fax: 01-47-00-37-45. Closed Saturday lunch and all day
Sunday. Credit card: Visa. MasterCard. Menus at 110,
128 and 168 francs, including service but not wine.
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